都市新民俗:成都武侯祠“游喜神方”的创造性转化

A New Urban Fok Custom:Creative Transformation of“You Xishen Fang”in Chengdu's Wuhou Shrine

“游喜神方”原为道教全真宫观迎接旧历新年的重要活动,其后逐渐演变为一种民俗,不同的地方有不同的方式和名称;一般意指民众于新年第一次出门,前往喜神所在方位以求吉利。喜神有牌位无形象,其方位依时日变动,传统上常有历书等专门用来确定喜神方位。清民时期,相对于成都城郭外的其他方位,南门外的武侯祠“游喜神方”最为兴盛。因各种原因,新中国成立后有一段时间沉寂;自1999年,武侯祠开始恢复“游喜神方”民俗。此时,原先处于城郭南门外的武侯祠已经处于成都一环路之内的市中心,武侯祠的“游喜神方”失去了以方位求吉利的意义。在新的都市时空语境下,武侯祠进行了两大方面的实践性创设:喜神形象化、形象诸葛亮化,突出“游喜神方”的国际性、时代性和娱乐性;祠内竖立喜神方石碑,确立触摸石碑以求吉利的新方式。经过20多年的层累,武侯祠的“游喜神方”实现了一种创造性转化,成为一种都市新民俗;其创设、成就,及其内在的问题,是改革开放后都市重建传统民俗、传统民俗创造性转化的一个缩影。

“You Xishen Fang”(游喜神方)was originally an important activity of Q ranzhen Temple.of Taoism to welcome the new year of the old calendar.Later,it gradually evolved into a folk custom with different ways and names in different places.Generally,it means that people go out for the first time in the new year to go to the bearing of the Xishen for good luck.Xishen has tablets but no image,and it bears changs with time,Traditionally,there are almanacs and others special things used to determine the bearing of Xishen.In the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China,compared with other places outside the Chengdu City,You Xishen Fang,held in Wuhou Shrine(武侯祠)outside the South Gate,was.the most prosperous,For many reasons,after the founding of New China,the event was suspended for some time;since 1999,Wuhou Shrine began to restart it.At this time,the Wuhou Shrine,which was originally located outside the South Gate,was already in the center of the first ring road of Chengdu,so You Xishen Fang held in Wuhou Shrine lost its significance of seeking luck by bearing.In the context of new urban space-time,Wuhou Shrine has took two major practical and creative measures:visualization of the Xishen,highlighting the internationality,modernity and entertainment of activty and at the same time erecting a stone tablet of Xishen Fang(喜神方)in the Shrine to establish a new way of seking auspiciousness by touching.After more than 20 years of accumulation,the You Xishen Fang of Wuhou Shrine has achieved a creative transformation,forming a new urban folk custom of“You Xishen Fang going to Wuhou Temple”,“little Xishen sending blessing”and“touching Xishen Fang stone tablet praying”,which is totally different from the old farming custom of seeking good fortune by bearing.The measures,achievement and internal problems of the You Xishen Fang in Wuhou Shrine are miniatures of the traditional folk custom in urban reconstruction after the Reform Opening up.